六合之内，所贵者人，人所重者，性命也。有性命而后有道德，有道德而后有功业，则性命岂不重哉。
而保卫性命者，医也。其为医者，不知禀赋源流，何以保卫性命乎？夫性者，灵也；命者，气也。一灵乘阴阳
五行之气，生于天地之中，具太极之体，而与天地万物同根，故配天地为三才，而一身阴阳气血之生化，与天
地生化万物无异也。灵无形而气有形，自无而至有者为生，有形之气成质，而灵主于中也；自有而至无者为
死，形质消化为气，而灵归造化也。其生其死，造化为机枢，民可使由之，不可使知之。必悟道而后知机，知
机，则顺其气化之迁流，而一灵固无变易也。故曰∶朝闻道，夕死可矣。能知生之机，即知死之理。故曰∶未
知生，焉知死也。然既同其一灵，同根一气，而有智愚贤不肖之殊、强弱寿夭之异，何也？同具一灵者，性
相近也；贤愚不一者，习相远也；寿夭不同者，气化之浓薄也。夫习染之害灵，犹尘之污镜，尘积日
浓，则明镜日昏，至于暗昧无光，名为下愚不移者。是故灵明，则禀气清；灵昏，则禀气浊；灵强，则禀气
浓∶灵弱，则禀气薄，此贤愚寿夭所由分，不独人也，而万物皆然。孟子曰∶志一则动气，气一则动志。夫心
之所之谓之志，是心气出于一本也。故心能使气，而气能动心。所以习染之恶，最为昧灵；而气化之乖，亦甚
害灵。是故儒圣之设教也，荡涤恶习以全其灵；医圣之设教也，斡旋气化以保其灵，二者相资，不可缺也。然
教法垂于先圣，而能否保全其灵，又在各人之心志，而无关于外者。若欲斡旋气化以保灵，要必先明始生之
理，故首列禀赋源流，而论其大略如此。
天地六合之间，最珍贵的是人；人所看重的，是生命。有了生命之后才有道德，有了道德之后才有功业，那么生命难道不重要吗？
保卫生命的，是医学。作为医生，如果不了解禀赋的源流，怎么能保卫生命呢？所谓“性”，就是灵性；所谓“命”，就是气。一个灵性乘着阴阳五行的气，产生于天地之间，具备太极的本体，与天地万物同根同源，因此与天地并列为三才。一个人身体内阴阳气血的生化过程，与天地化生万物的原理没有不同。灵性无形，而气有形，从无到有称为“生”，有形的气形成形体，灵性主宰其中；从有到无称为“死”，形体物质消化回归为气，灵性回归于造化自然。其生其死，造化自然掌握着枢纽，百姓只能顺着它做，不能让他们知道其中的奥秘。必须悟道才能知晓机理，知晓机理，就能顺应气化运行的变迁，而那个灵性本来就没有变化。所以说：“早晨得知真理，即使晚上死去也可以。”能了解生的机理，也就了解了死的道理。所以说：“连生都不知道，怎么知道死呢？”
然而既然同具一个灵性，同根一气，为什么会有智慧与愚笨、贤良与不肖的区别，以及强壮与虚弱、长寿与夭折的不同呢？同具一个灵性，所以本性相近；贤良与愚笨不同，是因为后天习染使距离拉远；寿命长短不同，是因为气的浓淡厚薄不同。习染对灵性的损害，就像灰尘污染镜子一样，灰尘积累得越厚，明镜就越昏暗，直到暗淡无光，被称为“下愚不移”。因此，灵性明亮，则禀受的气就清；灵性昏昧，则禀受的气就浊；灵性强大，则禀受的气就浓；灵性弱小，则禀受的气就薄。这是贤良、愚笨、长寿、夭折区别的原因，不仅人类如此，万物都是这样。孟子说：“意志专一就能带动气，气专一就能带动意志。”心所趋向的地方叫做志，心和气都出于同一个本源。所以心能支配气，而气也能触动心。因此，习染的恶习最容易蒙蔽灵性；而气化的失常，也极大地伤害灵性。所以儒家圣人设立教化，是为了荡涤恶习以保全灵性；医家圣人设立教化，是为了斡旋调节气化以保护灵性，两者相辅相成，不可缺漏。然而教法由先圣流传下来，能否保全灵性，又在于各人的心志，而不取决于外在因素。如果想要通过斡旋气化来保全灵性，首要必须先明白初生时的道理，所以首先列出禀赋源流，大致论述如上。
Within the six directions of the universe, what is most precious is humanity; what humanity values most is life (Xingming). Only with life can there be morality, and only with morality can there be achievements; thus, is not life extremely important?
Those who protect life are physicians. If a physician does not understand the origin and flow of innate constitution (Bingfu), how can they protect life? By "nature" (Xing), we mean spirituality (Ling); by "life" (Ming), we mean Qi (vital energy). A single spirit rides upon the Qi of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, born within heaven and earth, possessing the form of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), sharing the same root as all things in heaven and earth. Therefore, it is paired with heaven and earth to form the Three Powers (Sancai). The generation and transformation of Yin-Yang, Qi, and blood within the human body are no different from the way heaven and earth generate all things. Spirituality is formless, while Qi has form. Going from non-being to being is called "birth"; when formed Qi creates substance, spirituality governs the interior. Going from being to non-being is called "death"; when physical substance dissolves back into Qi, spirituality returns to creation/nature. Birth and death are governed by the pivot of nature; people may follow its course but cannot comprehend its mechanism. One must comprehend the Dao to know the mechanism; knowing the mechanism allows one to follow the flow of Qi transformation, while the single spirit remains unchanged. Thus it is said: "If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening." To know the mechanism of birth is to know the principle of death. Thus it is said: "If you do not yet know about life, how can you know about death?"
However, since we all share one spirit and one root of Qi, why are there differences in wisdom versus foolishness, virtue versus unworthiness, strength versus weakness, and longevity versus premature death? Sharing one spirit means natures are similar; differences in virtue and foolishness arise because habits create distance; differences in lifespan arise because of the density or thinness of Qi transformation. The harm of habits to spirituality is like dust dirtying a mirror; as dust accumulates day by day, the bright mirror becomes dimmer until it is dark and lightless, termed "the lowest stupidity that cannot be changed." Therefore, if spirituality is bright, the endowed Qi is clear; if spirituality is dim, the endowed Qi is turbid; if spirituality is strong, the endowed Qi is dense; if spirituality is weak, the endowed Qi is thin. This is the distinction between the virtuous and the foolish, the long-lived and the short-lived. This applies not only to humans but to all things. Mencius said: "When the will is focused, it moves Qi; when Qi is focused, it moves the will." That which the heart directs is called "will" (Zhi); thus, heart and Qi originate from one source. Therefore, the heart can command Qi, and Qi can move the heart. Hence, the evil of bad habits is most obscuring to spirituality; and the disorder of Qi transformation is also very harmful to spirituality. Therefore, the Confucian sages established teachings to cleanse bad habits and preserve spirituality; the medical sages established teachings to mediate Qi transformation and protect spirituality. The two support each other and neither can be omitted. However, although teachings were handed down by ancient sages, whether one can preserve spirituality depends on one's own mind and will, not on external factors. If one wishes to mediate Qi transformation to preserve spirituality, one must first understand the principles of initial generation. Therefore, the section on the origin of innate constitution is listed first, discussing the general outline as above.